First night of aerial spraying operation complete

The lights shone bright at Neil Wilson Stadium for Flower Mound High School football on Friday night. The stands were packed and cheers could be heard for miles.

This Friday night as the Flower Mound Jaguars whipped up on the Keller Central Chargers, the score wasn’t the only thing on fans minds.

They’re also thinking about West Nile virus and pesticide to kill mosquitoes falling from the sky.

“I wouldn’t have felt comfortable if they sprayed while the game was going on,” Flower Mound parent Geoff Lawrence told CBS 11. “I think we need to spray but not during football.”

Aerial spraying started Friday night about 9 p.m., but stadiums packed with football fans were skipped over until everyone was gone and the lights went out.

Clarke, the company handling the spraying, has been in touch with the school districts playing in cities where there will be aerial spraying. Their planes kept at least a one mile radius around the Flower Mound football stadium

“There is really no concern if we were to apply the product during a football game. Out of respect for residents their confusion and concern about the product we made the decision to delay any kind of application around a football stadium,” said Laura McGowan, spokesperson with Clarke. “Even if you see the plane overhead we may actually applying up to 2 miles away.”

For parents out enjoying Friday night football that was a big relief.

“I would have been concerned if it was during the game,” said Joni Woolums at the game to cheer on her son and the Jaguars. “I think they made the right decision.”

McGowan said the planes circled back around and hit the areas around the stadiums early Saturday morning.

Will the air attack work? A preliminary CDC report showed a 93 percent reduction in Culex Quinquefasciatus mosquito populations in the Dallas County areas that participated in aerial spraying recently.

The aerial spraying will continue in Denton County on Saturday night from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m.